National Security Advisor Gen. H.R. McMaster said he’s “not concerned” following reports that President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner may have discussed setting up diplomatic backchannels to Moscow during the presidential transition.
McMaster told American reporters traveling with Trump at the G7 summit in Sicily that the U.S. frequently sets up backchannels to countries for discreet communications.
“We have backchannel communications with a number of countries,” McMaster said in response to questions.
“What that allows you to do is communicate in a discreet manner so I’m not concerned.”
Chief economic adviser Gary Cohn, a close Kushner ally, declined to answer questions about Kushner. “We’re not going to comment on Jared,” he said.
The Washington Post reported Friday that Kushner sought to establish secret communications with the Kremlin during a transition meeting with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Per the Post, Kislyak said he talked to Kushner about installing secure lines between the Trump transition and Russian officials at foreign facilities to avoid conversations being monitored.
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McMaster 'not concerned' following Kushner reports https://t.co/4U3qkkzg8B pic.twitter.com/kwwNeIjOHX
— POLITICO (@politico) May 27, 2017
HR is smart enough to know they're all going down, and he's ruined his life & his 30+ reputation. @TheRickWilson https://t.co/nlXicpInJl
— John Schindler (@20committee) May 27, 2017
McMaster: "We have back channel communications with a number of countries. what that allows you to do is communicate in a discreet manner"
— Tara Palmeri (@tarapalmeri) May 27, 2017
Obvious question: How many were proposed by US to take place on an adversary's secure communications? https://t.co/DR2v1lpheo
— Stephen Hayes (@stephenfhayes) May 27, 2017
Once again McMaster walks on tiptoes to make sure that the thing he said is neither an answer to the question but not actually false. /1
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) May 27, 2017
This is being asked about a bank robbery and saying "Well, people do make unscheduled withdrawals from banks, so in general it's normal" /3
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) May 27, 2017
That kind of answer is Rookie Debating 101, in which you hope to God there is no follow-up. And it won't work. /5x
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) May 27, 2017
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